---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Fletcher, J. W.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 12
number: 8
published: 1909-06
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'J. W. Fletcher, "Character," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 8 (June 1909): 624.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1208unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera1208unse
start_page: 624
end_page: 624
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-06)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1208unse
  publication_year: 1909
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Character

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;

G24                          IMPROVEMENT ERA

try.    They, of course, taught their followers to wear clothing and
         much of the gospel as they could. They naturally would
to live as
have to arm themselves against their savage neighbors.
     Columbus and his sailors were looked upon by the natives as
visitors from heaven, and their appearance among them was her-
alded all over the country. Their movements were watched closely
from the shores, since whenever they landed they found themselves
not unexpected.         It   does   not take   much imagination to see the
"disciples''    and one of their bands following the movements of the
ships from the trees or mountains, awaiting a             favorable opportu-
nity to make themselves known.            In fact, there     is   nothing in the
report of the archer which is in the least at variance with what
might be expected from our knowledge of the Book of Mormon.
As I said before, I am almost convinced that this is the record I
have been looking for.
Provo, Utah.

                                    CHARACTER
                              BY I. W. FLETCHER.

       Character is not built up in a moment, but constant effort is
necessary.       Act upon act make it.         It is the continued dropping
of the water that wears away the stone.            So it is the constant ac-
quiring of Divine truth, and the continued application thereof, that
form character.
       We must ever look to a Divine source for the necessary ma-
terial to perfect such a character.

       The true basis of the attainment is the principle of ever be-
coming.
       By exercising the divinity within us we never grow old
               Olympian bards who sung divine ideas below,
               Forever find them young, and always kept them so.

       As one breathes pure air to avoid dullness and lethargy, so the
Saints should breathe the spirit of the gospel of our blessed Re-
deemer, to keep from becoming dull and indifferent. It is the sure
way to build character.
Salt Lake City, Utah.